With the first frost, Red-tail’s stewardship crew started scattering seeds for a new prairie restoration project at Munsee Woods. Why aren’t we waiting for spring?
Most assume this time of year is when nature is at rest, awaiting for spring so all can become vibrant once more. However, winter is still a time of growth. By frost seeding early in the cold season, native plant seeds go through stratification and frost heaving, promoting better germination.
Why plant seeds during the cold season? To mimic the way these plants function in nature. Many native plants in the Midwest release seeds during fall, letting them bide their time until spring. If you are doing the planting, seeds should be scattered onto frozen soil in late fall or early winter. If lucky, there will be snowfall to cover the seeds, protecting them from sickness, wind, and wildlife that wants to eat them.
What’s stopping them from sprouting now that they’re on the ground? Due to chemicals within them, the seeds will undergo a period of dormancy to prevent early sprouting. This dormancy can only be broken through cold-moist stratification, a way to strip the seed of its hard shell and chemicals preventing it from sprouting. While there are artificial ways to do this, frost seeding leaves the work up to nature, allowing it to go through the freeze-thaw cycle. With the seed on frozen ground, eventually, the soil will thaw. The seed will sink into the thawing soil, surrounded by moisture. Then, the soil will freeze and thaw again, dragging the seed deeper into the soil. This cycle will repeat numerous times over the season.
By going through this frost heaving, the seed stratifies and eventually “wakes up”. However, this process is not quick! Native species need between one to three months of stratification. This prevents them from being tricked into sprouting too early. Rather, they will wake up right around springtime. The seed will be deep in the soil, surrounded by moisture; the perfect foundation for growth.
Plants you see with seeds during the cold season benefit from frost seeding, as it mimics their natural growth patterns. This includes milkweed, virginia bluebell, wild violets, and many other native species you can find at Red-tail’s reserves and throughout Indiana. Frost seeding can be done on many levels, from our restoration projects at a nature preserve to maintenance of a backyard pollinator garden. In some regards, it can be seen as a mindful way of planting and gardening, as it allows seeds to follow their natural processes with little human interference.
Next time you are taking a stroll on a cold day, the thought of this time of year being about rest and dormancy might come to mind again. Try to reconsider and think of it as Mother Nature’s time of mindful planning and growth preparation. There are seeds waiting to burst out of the soil with a pop of color. Continue to go outside, looking for the first signs of their awakening.
Photo credit: Milkweed Seed Macro by NPS | N. Lewis Shenandoah National Park.
Kendalynn Ross is an Outreach Coordinator who focuses on education and volunteers for Red-tail Land Conservancy. Her background in environmental education, and mindfulness of the world around her, guides her work to encourage people to connect and protect nature.
